(1)A person shall be guilty of an offence if, without lawful authority, he knowingly either works or does anything for the purpose of working any mines and minerals vested in the Ministry.
(2)A person shall be guilty of an offence if he wilfully obstructs any other person in the exercise of any right conferred—
(a)by or under section 11(1) or section 22(1) or (2), or
(b)by a mining facilities order or a mining facilities permit.
(3)A person who is guilty of an offence by reason of a contravention of any provision of subsection (1) or (2) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding[F1 level 3 on the standard scale] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both, and where the contravention is repeated or continued after conviction to a further fine not exceeding ten pounds for every day, subsequent to the day on which he is first convicted of an offence under that subsection, during which the contravention is so repeated or continued.
(4)In a prosecution for an offence under subsection (1) a court of summary jurisdiction shall have jurisdiction to try the offence notwithstanding that a question of title is raised.
(5)No proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) or (2) may be instituted except—
(a)by the Ministry, or
(b)by, or with the consent of, the Attorney General.